Yemen

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance will be given to Yemen in 2006-07 to help it combat the spread of tuberculosis.

Gareth Thomas: The current prevalence of TB in Yemen is 1.5 per 1,00 people. The Government of Yemen runs a National Tuberculosis Programme aiming to eliminate TB in the country.
	The UK has committed £59 million until 2008 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Since January 2002 the fund has approved US$735 million for TB control, and $6.1 million is being spent in Yemen between 2005 and 2010.
	DFID has committed £ million, between 2005 and 2008, to the global Stop TB Partnership which has provided support to good quality TB drug access in Yemen. The UK also provides core funding to the World Health Organisation (£2.5 million in 2005–06) which among other things, works to fight TB in Yemen

Pakistan

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the reconstruction work in Pakistan following the earthquake.

Hilary Benn: The Government are doing everything possible to help Pakistan recover from the earthquake.
	DFID is one of the largest bilateral donors for reconstruction, and we committed £70 million for reconstruction at the Donors' Conference last November. We are one of the "group of seven" large donors working collaboratively with the Government of Pakistan to help meet the challenge of recovering from the earthquake.

Global Fund

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the (a) amount and (b) proportion of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which has been employed (i) to advertise vacancies which arise, (ii) to appoint staff to manage its affairs, (iii) to employ external consultants and external companies to assist with its work, (iv) to promote and publicise its work and engage in public relations work and (v) on projects in developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: According to the financial data provided by the Global Fund Secretariat, total expenditure in 2005 was US$1.586 billion. Of this US$1.524 billion (or 96.1 percent.) was for grants to projects in developing countries, and US$62 million (or 3.9 percent.) was for operating expenses.
	The total expenditure of US$1.586 billion comprised:
	(i) US$0.4 million (or 0.03 percent.) for advertising vacancies of staff posts;
	(ii)US$24.7 million (or 1.56 percent.) for staff costs;
	(iii)US$23.9 million (or 1.5 percent) for external consultants and external companies to assist with the fund's work, of which US$19.2 million (or 1.2 percent.) was for in-country oversight services provided by "Local Fund Agents';
	(iv) US$1.6 million (or 0.1 percent.) for communication services and materials including printing, translation, PR, photography and video production; (costs of staff engaged in these activities and included in (ii) above were US$0.9 million);
	(v) US$1,524.0 million (or 96.1 percent.) for grants to projects in developing countries; and
	the remaining US$11.4 million (or 0.7 percent.) was employed for office rent, utilities, supplies, equipment, travel and meetings.
	The proportion of operating costs as a ratio of total expenditure fell in 2005 compared with 2004, from 4.9 per cent. to 3.9 per cent. The UK's line as a board member is that Secretariat costs should be kept to a level congruent with the Global Fund acting solely as a financing instrument.

Global Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) generic and (b) brand-name drugs have been approved for use in schemes financed by the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria does not currently collect this data.
	The Global Fund's procurement policy specifies that resources may be used to procure any medicines that appear in national or the World Health Organization standard treatment guidelines (STGs) or essential medicines lists (EMLs). Unlisted products may be procured only if the principal recipient of the grant states a specific rationale for doing so in its proposal to the Global Fund.

United Nations Population Fund

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations (a) Ministers and (b) officials have made about the decision of the Bush Administration not to fund the United Nations Population Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: There have been no representations directly by DFID Ministers or officials to the United States in response to the decision by the Bush Administration in July 2002 to withhold $34 million funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) based on claims that the fund supported coercive abortion in China.
	At the Executive Board in September that year several other donors including the UK announced support for UNFPA, and signalled an increase in their contribution to UNFPA. The UK is providing £80 million core support to UNFPA over its four year funding framework from 2004-05 to 2007-08. We reiterated our support for UNFPA at the Executive Boards in June 2005 and January 2006 when the UK said
	"let us state unequivocally that in our view, UNFPA's activities in China, as in the rest of the world, are in strict conformity with the unanimously adopted Programme of Action of the International Committee on Population and Development (ICPD)".
	A State Department team that investigated UNFPA-supported projects in China submitted a report in May 2002, explaining they found no evidence that UNFPA had knowingly supported or participated in the management of a programme of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilisation in the People's Republic of China. UNFPA has also publicly stated that it has never, and will never, be involved in coercion in China or any part of the world. The Fund is a staunch supporter, and promoter, of the human rights-based approach to family planning.
	In the same year DFID supported a study tour for three UK MP's to visit China to study its population and reproductive health policies and UNFPA's work in China. The team was made up of my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Chris McCafferty), the hon. Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh) and the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb). Their report concluded that UNFPA was a force for good, and a copy was placed in the Library of the House.

English Nature

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the current staffing establishment is at English Nature in Peterborough; and what projected staffing numbers are over the next five years.

Jim Knight: There are currently 397 English Nature staff based in Peterborough (including 23 in the area team for Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire).
	From October 2006 (Subject to the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill passing successfully through Parliament) English Nature, the environment activities of the Rural Development Service and the Countryside Agency's Landscape, Access and Recreation division will come together to form Natural England. It is anticipated that Natural England will have an office in Peterborough, the number of staff based there will be a matter for the board of Natural England.

Ministerial Travel

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the occasions on which (a) she has and (b) each of her Ministers have visited (i) Brussels and (ii) Paris in the last two years; and what the (A) purpose and (B) means of transport to and from the United Kingdom was on each occasion.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 26 January 2006
	Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of Cabinet Ministers' visits overseas costing more than £500. The list provides details of the date, destination, purpose and costs of individual visits made by Cabinet Ministers.
	Information relating to the period 2003–04 and 2004–05 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the year 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the financial year.
	DEFRA Ministers visited Brussels and Paris on the following occasions in 2004–05:
	
		Elliot Morley
		
			 Date Destination Propose of visit Transport 
		
		
			 2 March 2004 Brussels Environment Council RAF/Scheduled flight 
			 19–20 April 2004 Paris OECD Three Year Meeting of Environment Ministers Eurostar 
			 24–25 June 2004 Paris Environment Council Eurostar 
			 19 December 2004 Brussels Environment Council Eurostar 
			 27 –28 January 2005 Paris International Biodiversity Symposium Eurostar 
			 9 –11 March 2005 Paris/Brussels OECD High Seas Task Force and Environment Council Eurostar/Scheduled flight 
			 1–2 June 2005 Paris Roundtable on Sustainable Development at the OECD Eurostar 
			 15 September 2005 Brussels Visit to the European Parliament Eurostar/Scheduled flight 
			 6 October 2005 Brussels IPPR Climate Change Policy Seminar Eurostar/Scheduled flight 
			 12 October 2005 Brussels Bathing Water Conciliation Eurostar 
			 24 October 2005 Brussels Launch of the European Climate Change Programme Scheduled flight/Eurostar 
			 1–2 December 2005 Brussels Environment Council Eurostar/RAF 
		
	
	
		Alun Michael
		
			 Date Destination Propose of visit Transport 
		
		
			 17 May 2004 Brussels Competitiveness Council Eurostar 
			 2 March 2005 Brussels Met with MEP's about REACH Eurostar 
		
	
	
		Jim Knight
		
			 Date Destination Propose of visit Transport 
		
		
			 18 July 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
			 21–22 November 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
			 19–20 September 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
			 19–21 December 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
		
	
	
		Ben Bradshaw
		
			 Date Destination Propose of visit Transport 
		
		
			 22–23 March 2004 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Scheduled flight 
			 24 May 2004 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Scheduled flight/Eurostar 
			 22–23 November 2004 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council RAF/Eurostar 
			 20–22 December 2004 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Scheduled flight/Eurostar 
			 14–15 March 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Scheduled flight 
			 11 July 2005 Brussels Appearance at European Parliament Eurostar 
			 17–19 July 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Bilateral with  French fisheries minister RAF/Eurostar 
			 19–20 September 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
			 22–23 September 2005 Brussels Hosting dinner for European Parliament Eurostar 
			 21 November 2005 Paris High Seas Task Force Eurostar 
			 21–24 November 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
			 19–22 December 2005 Brussels Agriculture/Fisheries Council Eurostar 
		
	
	
		Lord Whitty
		
			 Date Destination Propose of visit Transport 
		
		
			 16 February 2004 Brussels European conference on air quality Scheduled flight 
			 18 October 2004 Brussels SIAL promoting British Food Scheduled flight 
		
	
	
		Lord Bach
		
			 Date Destination Propose of visit Transport 
		
		
			 3 October 2005 Brussels REACH Eurostar 
			 5 December 2005 Brussels REACH Eurostar

Population Increase Impacts

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the projected increases in the population of England upon (a) water resources, (b) the countryside and (c) the environment.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 13 February 2006
	In England and Wales, water resources are the responsibility of the Environment Agency, which produced in 2001 "Water Resources for the Future". This strategy document considers four different future scenarios for water use, based on the "Environmental Futures' framework from the DTI's Foresight programme. Annual updates to the strategy keep it up-to-date. For example, the 2004 update draws from water company projections of water use that take account of population increase. Water Resources for the Future also considers demand from increased housing, which is to some extent associated with population increase. Increases in housing might also be expected to impact on rural areas and the environment. In 2004 Defra published the Entec report, "Study into the Environmental Impacts of Increasing the Supply of Housing in the UK", which was partly driven by anticipated population increase. The ODPM also have an interest in housing supply increases, through their work on buildings and sustainable communities. Defra's Horizon Scanning and Futures team is currently preparing the groundwork for a study on the environmental impacts of increasing population. T his work will look at impacts on both urban and rural environments. Other elements of Defra's work include human population growth as a component: for example, population increase is factored into our air quality and emission projections.

Warm Front Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what average reductions in energy bills there have been in households which have received funding from Warm Front.

Elliot Morley: The average yearly saving for homes assisted by Warm front is around £147.

Water Shortages

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received regarding water shortages in the south-east; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 28 February 2006
	We have received a number of representations about the implications for water supply of the continuing drought in the south-east. The Environment Agency has produced a report, "Drought prospects 2006", explaining the likely consequences of a continuing rainfall deficit and recommending action by water companies and the public. This report is available on request from the agency (telephone 0207 863 8710) or from its website www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

Terrorist Groups (Financial Assets)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value was of (a) financial assets and (b) non-financial assets of (i) Northern Ireland terrorist, (ii) fundamentalist Islamic, (iii) Basque separatist and (iv) other organisations, broken down by cause frozen by the Treasury in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Assets with a total value of nearly £80 million have been frozen in the UK, as associated with AI-Qa'ida, the Taliban or other terrorist causes, although a large proportion was returned to the Government of Afghanistan. The legislation does not permit us to publish the analysis at the level of detail requested.
	163 organisations have been designated under the Terrorism Order 2001 and the AI-Qa'ida and Taliban Order 2002. Of these, we judge six are Northern Ireland terrorist groups, 140 are Islamic and one is Basque. A consolidated list of individuals and entities subject to UK financial sanctions is available from the Bank of England website at http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/financialsanctions/current/index.htm
	Freezing action also prevents the flow of funds to listed individuals and entities. Asset freezing is part of the Government's overall strategy to create a hostile environment for terrorism and safeguard financial systems. A value cannot easily be put on those wider effects.

Network Rail

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that Network Rail's inventory of assets owned is publicly available.

Derek Twigg: Network Rail has a licence condition to establish and maintain information about its assets (the "asset register"). Network Rail is accountable to the Office of Rail Regulation for this and plans to allow access for third parties within the industry to data which they need.

Biomass Conversion

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to assess the direct transformation of biomass into hydrogen.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI commissioned two reports in 2004 in relation to hydrogen: "Hydrogen Energy Support in the UK" and "A Strategic Framework for Hydrogen Energy Activity in the UK". These reports have been published on the Department's website. The second report identified six potential hydrogen energy chains for the use of hydrogen as a transport fuel. One route is to produce hydrogen biomass (with optional carbon capture and storage).
	On 15 June 2005, I announced the Government's response to the second report "A Strategic Framework for Hydrogen Energy Activity in the UK" which included a funding package of £15 million over four years for a UK wide hydrogen and fuel cell demonstration programme. The details of the demonstration scheme is currently being developed, and requires EC State Aid approval.
	Basic research in universities is supported through the UK Research Councils. The EPSRC is funding two relevant SUPERGEN consortia:
	1. The SUPERGEN biological fuel cell consortium. This was announced in December 2005. This is a £2 million investment over four-year period. This is a consortium of teams from six universities aims to achieve major advances in a technology that potentially produces electricity directly from sustainable biological materials and air, in devices known as biological fuel cells. The Consortium programme involves a combination of expertise drawn from the research areas of microbiology, enzymology, electrochemistry, materials science and computational modelling. A "Biofuel Cells Industrial Club" is to be formed, with industrial partners active in water management, porous materials, microbiology, biological catalysis and fuel cell technology.
	2. SUPERGEN UK Sustainable Hydrogen Energy (UKSHEC): part of its remit is to advance the scientific understanding of the biological generation of sustainable hydrogen. UKSHEC was established in 2003 and will continue until 2007.
	In addition the following projects were funded by EPSRC:
	(i) The project "Unmixed reforming of vegetable oil for hydrogen production" investigated the viability of vegetable oil as the fuel for a novel steam reforming process. This project was completed in December 2004.
	(ii) The project "Sustainable biohydrogen production" investigated optimising hydrogen yields from biomass by continuous fermentative processes operating on mixed microflora on any substrate. This project was completed in October 2004.

Centre of Ecology and Hydrology Research

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the Government's plans are for closing the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology research sites in the next 10 years; and what representations he has received on this;
	(2)  what evidence the Natural Environment Research Council presented to his Department as a basis for its decision to close four Centre for Ecology and Hydrology research sites; and what assessment he has made of this evidence;
	(3)  what guidance the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) was given before its board decided to close (a) Winfrith, South Dorset and (b) other NERC research facilities.

Barry Gardiner: The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) is wholly owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and decisions on its future are the responsibility of NERC. The science budget allocation to NERC has doubled since 1997, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining the quality of environmental, research in the UK. NERC is responsible for determining the details of how this funding is allocated to specific activities. NERC is currently considering the input from a wide consultation with stakeholders on proposals to place CEH onto a sustainable financial footing, and decisions are expected to be taken by NERC Council in March.
	Officials from the Office of Science and Technology attend the meetings of NERC Council as observers; these meetings have included discussions concerning the future of CEH. Following NERC Council in December 2005, NERC issued a Statement of Intent regarding the future of CEH, accompanied by a copy of the CEH Business Plan containing the rationale for NERC's proposals.
	The Department has received a number of letters from Members of Parliament, trade unions, environmental organisations, members of the public and others, about NERC's proposal to restructure CEH.

Post Offices

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) types and (b) levels of subsidy have been given to the rural post office network in (i) Wales, (ii) Ogmore constituency and (iii) the Bridgend County Borough area in each year since 1997; and what the average annual income of a rural post office from each such subsidy was in each year.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook the Managing Director has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Post Offices

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices in (a) Ogmore constituency, (b) the Bridgend County Borough area and (c) the Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough area are designated (i) rural, (ii) urban and (iii) other.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). The Chief Operating Officer, David Miller has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Research and Development

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with her European counterparts on the issue of raising research and development spending; and if she will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Union has set itself an ambitious and challenging objective to increase its investment in research and development towards 3 per cent. of GDP by 2010.
	In the context of the Competitiveness Council on 28 and 29 November 2005, European Ministers agreed Council conclusions on the subject of "More Research and Innovation—Investing for Growth and Employment". These conclusions point to a shared political commitment to increase spending on R and D and detail a range of measures that may be required at the level of the member states and of the European Community to facilitate that increase. These measures may include public spending at the European level (the seventh R and D framework programme, improved access to finance for private-sector investments, identification of regulatory obstacles to innovation and improvements to the mobility and careers of researchers.

"Fuel for Living"

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2006, Official Report, column 481W, on young people (culinary ability), what the (a) actual and (b) planned expenditure is on the free recipe guide "Fuel for Living".

Caroline Flint: The "Fuel for Living" recipe booklet is part of the 5 A DAY Campaign, which provides information and practical advice to improve the diet. The booklet targets the young independent group of 16 to 24-year-olds, who have a lower than average intake of fruit and vegetables so there is a need to provide information and help to improve their diet.
	The actual cost of developing the booklet was £42,370, which includes design and artwork, research, expert input and agency fees. The printing and production cost for one million copies was £59,555.

BCG Vaccination

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many school children received BCG vaccinations in schools in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the annual number of school children who will be given BCG vaccinations in schools under the revised vaccination system; how many were inoculated in the last year of the previous system; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 14 February 2006
	The number of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) immunisations carried out each year and by age group since 1994–95 is published in the statistical bulletin, "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 2004–05", a copy of which is available in the Library.
	The change in policy announced by the chief medical officer on 6 July 2005, states that children who would otherwise have been offered BCG vaccination through the schools programme will now be screened, tested and vaccinated if appropriate. It is therefore the responsibility of the primary care trusts to arrange suitable screening opportunities outside of the school setting.

Blood Products

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conclusions were reached in the review of departmental papers on self-sufficiency in blood products.

Caroline Flint: The report, "Self Sufficiency in Blood Products in England and Wales'' was published on 27 February 2006. The report contains an executive summary, which includes the main conclusions of the review. Copies of the report are available in the Library and is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/09/35/04130935.pdf.

Breast Cancer

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the possible effects of the (a) use of oral contraception and (b) alcohol consumption on the risks of breast cancer.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 February 2006
	The evidence for an increased risk of breast cancer in women who use oral contraceptives (OCs) has been under constant review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, in conjunction with the independent expert advisory committee the Commission for Human Medicines.
	In studies, a slightly higher number of cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in women who were OC users than in women of the same age who were not. The most important factor for this increased risk was found to be the age at which women stopped using oral contraceptives—the length of time for which women used OCs was less important. In women who stopped using oral contraceptives, their increased risk of having breast cancer diagnosed disappeared after 10 years.
	Currently available evidence suggests that for every 10,000 women who use oral contraceptives for up to five years, the number of cases of breast cancer that would be diagnosed for up to 10 years after stopping OCs is as shown in the table.
	
		
			 Age at stopping OCs Number of cases of breast cancer in 10,000 women who have never used OCs Number of breast cancers in 10,000 women after five years OCs use and up to 10 years after stopping 
		
		
			 25 years 16 17.5 
			 30 years 44 48.7 
			 35 years 100 111 
			 40 years 160 181 
			 45 years 230 262 
		
	
	However, even at these higher ages the increase in risk, attributable to OCs, for individual women remains very low.
	Like all effective medicines, OC is not without side effects and it is very important that both prescribers and women are fully aware of these potential side effects when considering which method of contraception is the most appropriate for individuals.
	The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment made a statement on alcohol consumption and risk of developing breast cancer in women in November 2004, which is available on the Department's website at:
	www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/coc/alco04.htm.
	The committee both evaluated all the available published research on the association between alcohol consumption and breast cancer and commissioned some specialist research to aid in reaching a conclusion. The committee concluded that it is "prudent to assume that drinking alcoholic beverages may result in breast cancer in women".

Chlamydia

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the progress of the chlamydia 2007 objective; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The White Paper, "Choosing Health: Making healthier choices easier", a copy of which is available in the Library, announced an accelerated timetable to achieve national roll out of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) by 2007.
	The NCSP provides opportunistic screening for genital chlamydia infection and is aimed at all sexually active women and men aged between 16 and 24-years-old attending a variety of health and non health care settings in England.
	We have rolled out the screening programme successfully to 25 per cent. of primary care trusts and we expect to see national screening begin in April 2006. This is well ahead of the 2007 target.

Health Action Zones

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of health action zones.

Caroline Flint: In 2000, the Department commissioned an evaluation of the 26 health action zones (HAZ) that were set up in 1998 and 1999. The evaluation included an analysis of how HAZs sought to tackle inequalities in health.
	The findings were published in "Health Action Zones: Partnerships for health equity", Barnes et al (2005), London: Routledge, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where exercise-on-prescription pilots have been carried out as described in paragraph 2.93, of the White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, what estimate she has made of the costs to the NHS of issuing exercise-on-prescription; and what evidence was used to inform the judgment in paragraph 2.93 of the White Paper that exercise-on-prescription pilots have often been successful.

Caroline Flint: During the "Your health, your care, your say" consultation, exercise referral schemes were found to be popular with the public. The Fitness Industry Association estimates that there are over 600 schemes in England.
	A number of studies have looked at exercise on prescription projects. The health technology assessment, "Promoting physical activity in South Asian Muslim women through exercise on prescription" published in 2002 estimated that there had been between 150 and 200 exercise on prescription pilots or projects since 1990 and shows that these were often considered to be successful. An evaluation undertaken by the Oxford School for Healthcare Research at Oxford Brookes University identified the positive benefits of two green gym pilot schemes attended by people recommended by health service professionals. The Exercise Referral Systems: National Quality Assurance Framework commissioned by the Department and published in 2001 stated that exercise referral programmes may incur initial higher resource costs, but may be more cost-effective in the longer term if higher risk patients can reduce their risk of morbidity and mortality.
	An assessment of four commonly used methods to increase physical activity in primary care, including exercise referral schemes, is currently being undertaken by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The findings currently out to consultation, are broadly supporting the effectiveness of exercise on referral at increasing physical activity levels in the short-term.

MMR Vaccine

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment she has made of the take-up of the MMR vaccine in (a) Hampshire and (b) England; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of children have received the MMR vaccination in each (a) primary care trust, (b) local authority and (c) electoral ward in Hampshire in each of the last three years.

Caroline Flint: Immunisation data by primary care trust, strategic health authorities and nationally are published annually in the statistical bulletin, "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England", copies of which are available in the Library and on the Department's website. Data is not available by local authority or by electoral ward. Data for the last three years is available on the Department's website at:
	2002–03—www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/10/09/04081009.pdf
	2003–04—www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/95/77/04099577.pdf
	2004–05—www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/ll/96/50/04119650.pdf

Obesity

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2005, Official Report, column 1142W, on obesity, what assessment her Department has made of the role of the independent sector, including Slimming World and validated programmes such as slimming on referral in providing effective behaviour change programmes.

Caroline Flint: The White Paper, "Choosing health" included the following commitment, later confirmed in the delivery strategy published in March 2005:
	"The independent sector may have a key role in providing effective behaviour change programmes in ways that are more acceptable than traditional NHS care to some groups of patients. We will test this as part of a procurement for a 'year of care' for diabetic patients".
	Planning is under way on how to test and evaluate the year of care approach. If successful, the lessons could then be applied to other long-term conditions.
	It is also for primary care trusts, as local commissioners and providers of services, to determine the most appropriate methods to deliver health care to their populations. Decisions are based on clinical need and effectiveness, as well as local circumstance, drawing on the available evidence and resources, including the independent sector. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has been commissioned to prepare definitive guidance on the prevention, identification, management and treatment of obesity due in early 2007.

Obesity

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary school pupils in (a) England, (b) London, (c) the London Borough of Hillingdon and (d) the constituency of Ruislip-Northwood have been identified as (i) overweight and (ii) obese in the latest period for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The data is not available in the format requested. The main source of data on the prevalence of obesity and overweight is the Health Survey for England (HSE). The sample size of the Health Survey does not allow figures to be produced at the level of London boroughs or parliamentary constituencies. For children aged two to 10, national and Government office region (GOR) figures are presented using the national body mass index (BMI) percentile classification.
	The information available is shown in two tables, using the estimated obesity and/or overweight prevalence results of the HSE for 2001, 2002 and 2003. The national level data presented is the most recent available, and shows overweight and obesity prevalence among children. Data at GOR level is only available for obesity prevalence. GOR data provided is the most recent available and use combined information from the 2001 and 2002 surveys.
	
		Overweight and obesity prevalence among children aged two to 10, England, 2001–03 Percentage
		
			 Aged 2–10 with valid BMI 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Obese 13.1 15.5 13.7 
			 Overweight including obese 27.9 28.5 27.7 
			 Bases (weighted) aged 2–10 2,129 4,654 1,774 
			 Bases (unweighted) aged 2–10 1,893 3,984 1,733 
		
	
	Note:
	Prevalence based on the United Kingdom national BMI percentile classification.
	Source:
	Obesity among children under 11, 2005 Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre
	
		Obesity prevalence among children aged two to 10, London GOR, 2001–02
		
			  Obese percentage Bases (weighted) Bases (unweighted) 
		
		
			 Children aged 2–10  with valid BMI 18.2 830 701 
		
	
	Note:
	Prevalence based on the United Kingdom National BMI percentile classification.
	Source:
	Obesity among children under 11, 2005 Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre

Pesticides

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has accepted the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides in relation to systematic surveillance of chronic diseases linked to pesticide exposure.

Caroline Flint: The Department will be contributing to the Government response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's report, "Crop Spraying and the Health of Residents and Bystanders", which is being co-ordinated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	Departmental officials have been discussing with the pesticides safety directorate and the Health Protection Agency issues of common interest with respect to the report. Officials are awaiting advice from the committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment, which will be considered in addition to the recommendations given by the advisory committee on pesticides before a response is published.

Post-exposure Prophylaxis

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress her Department has made in ensuring every (a) sexual health clinic and (b) accident and emergency unit is able to offer post-exposure prophylaxis to patients; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The development of services for people with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections continues to be undertaken within the context of devolving decisions about the allocation of resources to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs). This provides new freedoms and responsibilities for the commissioning and prioritisation of health care to local health bodies that are closest to the people they serve, and best placed to respond to their needs.
	To support them, however, the Department funded The Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health to produce the "Recommended Standards for NHS HIV Services", published in 2003. This states that:
	"the NHS should make non-occupational PEP available to all who need it and develop protocols for provision".
	These standards were disseminated to PCT sexual health leads in England.
	Improving access to and awareness of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) also forms part of our broader, national, sexual health policy and HIV prevention work, which targets those most at risk of infection. We have funded the Terrence Higgins Trust to do national awareness-raising of PEP for men who have sex with men, which is the group most at risk of HIV transmission occurring in the United Kingdom.

Sexual Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people accessed genito-urinary medicine clinics in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: Data on the number of people accessing genitor-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England are not held centrally. The table shows the number of diagnoses made and other services provided at GUM clinics in England for males and females between 2000 and 2004. The data represent the number of first attendances for each condition or item of service provided in each quarter.
	
		Number of diagnoses and other items of service provided (work load) at genitor-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England by sex: 2000–04
		
			  Male Female Total 
		
		
			 2000
			 Total diagnoses 260,283 309,021 569,304 
			 Total work load 272,499 300,780 573,279 
			 Total 532,782 609,801 1,142,583 
			 
			 2001
			 Total diagnoses 276,971 330,724 607,695 
			 Total work load 323,168 349,994 673,162 
			 Total 600,139 680,718 1,280,857 
			 
			 2002
			 Total diagnoses 294,942 348,738 643,680 
			 Total work load 403,244 427,869 831,113 
			 Total 698,186 776,607 1,474,793 
			 
			 2003
			 Total diagnoses 313,482 359,749 673,231 
			 Total work load 657,583 718,256 1,375,839 
			 Total 971,065 1,078,005 2,049,070 
			 
			 2004
			 Total diagnoses 330,789 367,164 697,953 
			 Total work load 750,358 804,402 1,554,760 
			 Total 1,081,147 1,171,566 2,252,713 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Total diagnoses: only the first diagnosis of a condition is recorded for each patient in every quarter. This category includes all A, B, C and E KC60 codes
	2. Total work load: only the first presentation of a condition is recorded for each patient in every quarter. This category includes all D, P and S KC60 codes
	Source:
	KC60 Returns

Sugar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated by her Department on the potential dangers to health from the inclusion of sugar in foodstuffs; and if she will list make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department has not commissioned any recent research. A useful summary of relevant research is contained in the article "Dietary Effects on Dental Disease" published in volume four of the journal Public Health Nutrition (pages 569–91).
	Although sugars are not directly related to the development of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, increased consumption could increase the intake of food energy. Energy intake in excess of energy expended can lead to obesity. In predisposed people, foods high in sugar could have undesirable metabolic effects such as elevation of blood glucose and insulin concentrations. Furthermore, sugar is the most important cause of tooth decay.

Telecommunications Masts

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether her Department has commissioned follow-up work to the Stewart Report on the health effects of mobile telephone masts;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on Government policy concerning the health effects of 3G base stations.

Caroline Flint: The Stewart Report in 2000 comprehensively reviewed the scientific literature and concluded that
	"the balance of evidence to date suggests that exposures below [international] guidelines do not cause health effects to the general population".
	More recently, "Mobile Phones and Health 2004", reiterated the Stewart Report's conclusions noting that
	"there is a lack of hard information showing that the mobile phone systems in use are damaging to health."
	Both the above reports, however, recommended a precautionary approach to the use of mobile phone technology pending the availability of more robust scientific research results. The reports are available on the Health Protection Agency's radiation protection division's (HPA-RPD) website at www.hpa.org.uk/radiation.
	The HPA-RPD periodically evaluates the worldwide scientific research relating to mobile phone technology and health including that relevant to new and emerging technologies such as third generation (3G) mobile phones. In response to the Stewart Report recommendations, the independently managed Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme is supporting a number of studies into the possible health effects of mobile phone technology in general and these are described on the MTHR website at www.mthr.org.uk. Following the results of Dutch research, in 2003, on 3G base station exposures apparently showing a health effect, the MTHR programme decided to support work at the University of Essex into the symptoms experienced by 3G base station exposures on volunteers. Similar studies of 3G exposures are also being replicated in other countries.
	All mobile phones and base stations in this country comply with international guidelines that are based on comprehensive reviews of the scientific literature. Measurements undertaken by both the HPA and by Ofcom (www.ofcom.org.uk) have consistently shown that exposures to radio signals from base stations, including those from 3G stations, are lower than the international guidelines.

Arms Exports Controls

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts at the G8 on arms exports controls and the case for a binding international treaty.

Kim Howells: In 2005 the G8 Leaders agreed that the
	"development of international standards in arms transfers . . . would be an important step toward tackling the undesirable proliferation of conventional arms".
	We are now taking this agenda forward with a number of international partners (including individual G8 members) by building support for an international treaty on the trade in all conventional arms. We will continue this work during 2006 with the aim of securing the start of a formal process at the earliest opportunity.

Bovine TB

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland cattle herds that, when first tested for bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in each year between 2003 and 2005, had animals identified as possible carriers of BTB were given inconclusive status; and how many such herds had animals proved positive after a second test.

Angela Smith: The number of cattle herds in Northern Ireland that, when first tested for bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in 2003, 2004, and 2005, had animals interpreted as having inconclusive status was 3,849, 4,078 and 3,807 respectively. The number of these herds that had animals deemed positive after a second test was 555 in 2003, 523 in 2004 and 376 in 2005.

Prisons

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost per prison place was in each prison in Northern Ireland in (a) 1995, (b) 2000 and (c) 2005.

Shaun Woodward: The figure for 1994–95 is based on cost per prisoner, as opposed to cost per prisoner place on which the figures for 1999–2000 are based. The cost per prisoner is calculated by dividing the net operating costs by the average number of prisoners. The cost per prisoner place is calculated by dividing the net operating cost by the number of staffed prisoner places. The cost per prisoner for 1994–95 was calculated on a cash basis. Thereafter the cost per prisoner place measurement was established, first on a cash basis (until 2002–03) then on a resource basis.
	The Northern Ireland Prison Service calculates these costs on a service-wide basis so figures are not available for individual establishments. Outturns are as follows:
	
		Cost per prisoner—1994–95
		
			  £ (cash basis) 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland Prison Service 74,447 
		
	
	
		Cost per prisoner place £
		
			  1999–2000 (cash) 2004–05 (resource) 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland Prison Service 77,749 85,935

Road Tolls

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to implement toll payments for road usage in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Maclcolm McKibbin, dated 28 February 2006
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about whether there are plans to implement toll payments for road usage in Northern Ireland.
	As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	You may be aware that the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for NI 2002–12, whose strategic direction and underlying principles were endorsed by the Assembly in July 2002, contains no proposals to introduce road tolling in Northern Ireland. This position remains, however, the RTS did contain a commitment to monitor the impacts of fiscal demand management measures, such as congestion charging. This is reflected in both the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan and the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan, launched by the Minister in November 2004 and March 2005 respectively, where commitments are given to review this position, in the light of experience in other parts of the UK, during the period of the Plans.
	Roads Service is continuing to monitor developments in the use of road user charging in Great Britain. In the last two years, for example, officials have been actively involved in the development of the Department for Transport's (DfT) Road Pricing Feasibility Study and in the out workings of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' Lorry Road User Charging proposals.
	The DfT Road Pricing Feasibility Study recommended that a series of pilot local, or regional, road pricing schemes as the best way to test the various approaches to congestion charging. The DfT's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) will be the basis for pump priming such schemes in England. We will wait with interest to see what sort of schemes may evolve from the TIF.
	You may be aware that the Secretary of State, in his speech to the Fabian Society on 31 January 2006, stated
	"I will . . . be ensuring that Northern Ireland is fully signed up to the work being done in other parts of the UK on congestion charging and road pricing to help tackle congestion and reduce traffic pollution."
	Roads Service is continuing to engage with the Department for Transport and the County Surveyors' Society to ensure this commitment is addressed.
	I hope this information is helpful

Broadband

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to fund publicity campaigns encouraging the take-up of broadband in (a) East Sussex and (b) England.

Alun Michael: holding answer 17 October 2005
	I have been asked to reply.
	DTI and DEFRA produced a CD-ROM "A New Way to Live, Work and Play" last year. It contains hundreds of stories and examples of the benefits people around the UK have gained from broadband. The CD-ROM was sent to parish councils, rural community councils, regional development agencies, devolved administrations, intermediary organisations and other interested parties. The material is also available via the DTI website. There has also been regional activity around the UK promoting broadband and take-up.
	A new initiative from the Cabinet Office was launched in autumn 2005 to give users confidence using the Internet, under the title "Get Safe Online".
	Within East Sussex, "Broadband East Sussex" has been funded by Government and involves Access East Sussex, BT, The Education Authority, The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Sussex Enterprise, East Sussex Economic Partnership and the Learning and Skills Council.
	Broadband coverage for the South East region stands at 99.9 percent. Coverage for the UK stands at 98.8 per cent.

Student Accommodation

Tim Farron: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the number of students living in accommodation provided by (a) registered social landlords and (b) universities in 2005–06.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	For (a) Based on figures from the three most recent Survey(s) of English Housing (for 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05) it is estimated that there were, on average over the three year period, 140,000 full-time students living in Registered Social Landlord (RSL) accommodation. This total comprises 75,000 students aged 16–18 and 65,000 aged 19 or more. These figures include students at school who were living at home in their parents' RSL accommodation.
	For (b) the latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that, in 2004–05, around 193,000 students on full-time undergraduate courses were living in accommodation described as "Institution maintained properties".

Traffic Enforcement Staff

Tom Brake: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) traffic enforcement officers, (b) traffic wardens and (c) council parking attendants have been operating in each police authority area in each year since 2002–03.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	The available statistics are given in the table. Information on council parking attendants is not collected centrally.
	Police officers 'traffic' function includes staff who are predominantly employed on motor-cycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway related duties. This includes officers employed in accident investigation, vehicle examination and radar duties. This also includes staff who are predominantly employed to support the traffic function of the force including radar, accident investigation, vehicle examination and traffic administration. Also included are those officers working with hazardous chemicals and those administrative staff predominantly serving the internal needs of the traffic function of the force and those officers/staff in supporting roles.
	
		Traffic Wardens(9) by police force area—2003 to 2005 Full-time equivalent(10)
		
			  As at 31 March 
			 Force 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 43 34 0 
			 Bedfordshire 2 2 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 35 17 0 
			 Cheshire 19 15 17 
			 Cleveland 7 8 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 48 43 25 
			 Devon and Cornwall 103 102 96 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 
			 Durham 15 4 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 13 10 10 
			 Essex 38 21 8 
			 Gloucestershire 31 21 16 
			 Greater Manchester 88 88 90 
			 Gwent 27 25 21 
			 Hampshire 25 23 16 
			 Hertfordshire 38 9 0 
			 Humberside 48 46 45 
			 Kent 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 50 17 2 
			 Leicestershire 61 51 26 
			 Lincolnshire 21 18 20 
			 London, City of 0 0 0 
			 Merseyside 52 43 10 
			 Metropolitan police 687 505 449 
			 Norfolk 33 31 28 
			 Northamptonshire 7 5 4 
			 Northumbria 59 56 51 
			 North Wales 7 5 4 
			 North Yorkshire 0 10 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 29 33 12 
			 South Wales 99 92 82 
			 South Yorkshire 68 37 18 
			 Staffordshire 10 1 0 
			 Suffolk 25 25 20 
			 Surrey 17 8 5 
			 Sussex 61 67 62 
			 Thames Valley 42 36 24 
			 Warwickshire 9 8 4 
			 West Mercia 15 13 9 
			 West Midlands 74 72 66 
			 West Yorkshire 98 85 42 
			 Wiltshire 7 5 1 
			 Total 2,108 1,688 1,281 
		
	
	(9) Many forces have transferred responsibility for parking controls to the respective district/unitary authority, which has resulted in some forces not having any traffic wardens by March 2005.
	(10) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. Full-time equivalent figures includes those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.
	
		Police officers whose main function is "Traffic"(11) by police force area—2003 to 2005 Full-time equivalent(12)
		
			  As at 31 March 
			  2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 216 222 228 
			 Bedfordshire 75 80 80 
			 Cambridgeshire 85 99 101 
			 Cheshire 194 200 194 
			 Cleveland(13) 64 73 2 
			 Cumbria 107 110 108 
			 Derbyshire 107 121 116 
			 Devon and Cornwall 192 198 211 
			 Dorset 91 86 82 
			 Durham 111 119 108 
			 Dyfed Powys 136 105 141 
			 Essex(13) 241 242 243 
			 Gloucestershire 62 66 67 
			 Greater Manchester 406 392 359 
			 Gwent 93 95 96 
			 Hampshire 248 246 244 
			 Hertfordshire(13) 150 151 149 
			 Humberside 123 119 225 
			 Kent(13) 104 — 122 
			 Lancashire(13) 198 187 190 
			 Leicestershire(13) 92 95 85 
			 Lincolnshire 90 89 96 
			 London, City of(13) 24 24 28 
			 Merseyside 125 119 115 
			 Metropolitan police 583 592 1,029 
			 Norfolk 120 121 107 
			 Northamptonshire 70 71 65 
			 Northumbria 245 253 165 
			 North Wales(13) 115 114 76 
			 North Yorkshire 151 138 101 
			 Nottinghamshire(13) 26 121 133 
			 South Wales 243 245 243 
			 South Yorkshire 180 127 134 
			 Staffordshire(13) 50 49 58 
			 Suffolk(13) 68 72 76 
			 Surrey(13) 108 110 107 
			 Sussex 164 163 163 
			 Thames Valley 259 259 245 
			 Warwickshire 103 103 93 
			 West Mercia(13) 292 115 117 
			 West Midlands 384 405 393 
			 West Yorkshire 320 314 317 
			 Wiltshire 91 96 93 
			 Total 6,902 6,706 7,104 
		
	
	(11) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables.
	(12) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between the totals in this table and totals in similar published tables. Full-time equivalent includes those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.
	(13) Data quality may be an issue with this force. Kent did not provide data for 2003–04.

Urban Task Force 2005

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what response he has made to Lord Rogers's 2005 Urban Task Force's observations in relation to (a) the Thames Gateway regeneration scheme governance and (b) the Government's regeneration programme.

Yvette Cooper: On 22 November 2005 the Urban Task Force, chaired by Lord Rogers, launched its report "Towards a Strong Urban Renaissance" reviewing progress to date on delivering the original task force vision set out in 1999 in its previous report "Towards an Urban Renaissance". It is an independent report based on the personal experience of the Urban Task Force members on the ground, designed to "stimulate public debate and encourage new thinking".
	This new report acknowledges that there have been some notable successes, and that English cities are very different places from the post-industrial centres of unemployment and failing public services of 20 years ago. The report also identifies challenges to the continuation of the urban renaissance and provides recommendations on steps necessary to strengthen the progress already made.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has welcomed the task force's new report as a useful contribution to our ongoing work on urban design and the cities and regional policy agenda, and will take full account of the report's recommendations in the context of other research and analysis undertaken by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and elsewhere. For maximum effectiveness any new approaches must also be integrated with policy developments emerging from, for example, the December 2005 EU Ministerial informal, the Government response to Kate Barker's review of Housing Supply and the consultation on the draft PPS3 document and the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Benefits

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was budgeted for council tax benefit in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales each year since 1991–92; and what forecasts have been made for future years.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		Council tax benefit by country £ million (Nominal terms)
		
			  England Wales Scotland Total 
		
		
			 1997–98(15) 1,988 97 241 2,326 
			 1998–99(15) 2,150 110 298 2,557 
			 1999–2000(15) 2,175 110 277 2,561 
			 2000–01(15) 2,198 118 334 2,650 
			 2001–02(15) 2,356 128 347 2,831 
			 2002–03(15) 2,530 139 356 3,026 
			 2003–04(15) 2,883 154 350 3,387 
			 2004–05(15) 3,095 165 370 3,629 
			 2005–06(15) 3,199 178 410 3,786 
			 2006–07(16) 3,503 191 412 4,106 
			 2007–08(16) 3,801 213 447 4,461 
		
	
	
		Council tax benefit by country £ million (Real terms, 2005–06 prices)
		
			  England Wales Scotland Total 
		
		
			 1997–98(15) 2,391 117 289 2,797 
			 1998–99(15) 2,521 128 349 2,999 
			 1999–2000(15) 2,500 127 318 2,945 
			 2000–01(15) 2,495 134 379 3,007 
			 2001–02(15) 2,608 142 384 3,134 
			 2002–03(15) 2,716 150 382 3,248 
			 2003–04(15) 3,015 161 366 3,541 
			 2004–05(15) 3,168 169 378 3,715 
			 2005–06(15) 3,199 178 410 3,786 
			 2006–07(16) 3,419 186 402 4,007 
			 2007–08(16) 3,614 202 425 4,241 
		
	
	(15) Estimate.
	(16) Forecast.
	Notes:
	1. Expenditure by country has been taken from information held in spreadsheet form by the Department for Work and Pensions, available from 1997–98.The information is not available for years 1991–92 to 1996–97.
	2. The country figures are consistent with the total council tax benefit for Great Britain. They are an estimate of money which will be spent in each financial year which was shown in departmental reports after each Budget, except for 1997–98 when the Budget was on 2 of July 1997 (see note 3.). The figures shown are not actual expenditure. Expenditure is available on the DWP internet site.
	3. The 2006–07 and 2007–08 figures are forecast and consistent with the pre-Budget report 2005.
	Source:
	Departmental reports and underlying data, and benefit expenditure tables.

Antisocial Behaviour

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to publicise action taken to tackle antisocial behaviour to members of the public in Tamworth.

Hazel Blears: Our approach to tackling antisocial behaviour has been to prioritise what matters to our communities—empowering people and local agencies to play an active role in establishing and reinforcing the boundaries of what is acceptable. Publicising actions taken to tackle antisocial behaviour is a key element of this work.
	As a result of the Crime and Disorder Act Review, the new Police and Justice Bill proposes to create the power to develop national standards for all Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs). These will, among other things, ensure that all CDRPs consult and engage with their communities on a regular and on-going basis. National standards will be developed in the coming months. This issue was also covered in more detail in the Government's Respect Action Plan. We want to make sure that we build on good practice and promote a dialogue between local people and local services by ensuring that CDRPs hold regular "face the people" briefings—question and answer sessions open to the public, media and community groups. This should ensure that the public are made aware of actions that are being taken locally to tackle antisocial behaviour in their communities.

Closing the Gap

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the evidential basis was for the statement in Closing the Gap that police restructuring will assist the delivery of policing in rural areas.

Hazel Blears: Closing the Gap was informed by a confidential national assessment of police forces carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. The assessment was conducted against standards for the delivery of protective services which were agreed with ACPO and piloted in a number of forces. The forces included both metropolitan and rural forces to give a representative sample and to ensure that standards were applicable to both.
	The national assessment was that no force achieved the highest standard overall, and only the two largest forces (in terms of officers) were rated as demonstrating significant proactive capability overall. On the basis of their analysis, which addressed the delivery of policing in all existing forces, HMIC recommended a reconfiguration to strategic forces of 4,000 or more officers as the "best business solution".
	The primary focus of restructuring is to improve the delivery of policing in all areas and to effectively protect the public. The creation of strategic forces with improved capacity and resilience will help to safeguard local policing by reducing the need to abstract officers from neighbourhood policing teams, and by allowing for greater investment to pro-actively address some of the level 2 criminality which in turn can impact on local neighbourhoods. This will improve the policing service to all communities, both rural and non-rural.

Death Statistics

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were killed by people diagnosed with a mental illness in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005.

Hazel Blears: Available data are in the form of currently recorded homicides where the apparent circumstances of the offence involved a mentally disturbed suspect and were published in table 2.06 of "Violent Crime Overview, Homicide and Gun Crime 2004/05" (HOSB 02/06). Based on information held on 28 November 2005, there were 40 victims in 2003–04 and 30 in 2004–05 where the suspect was considered to be mentally disturbed.

Elder Abuse

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what systems are in place among law enforcement agencies to (a) record and (b) respond to cases of elder abuse.

Hazel Blears: The information is as follows.
	(a) Elder abuse is not a recorded offence category and incidents of elder abuse could be recorded under various offence categories (e.g. serious wounding, common assault, harassment, criminal damage etc). Elder abuse, depending on the specific nature of the incident, can be classified as domestic violence.
	Although domestic violence is also not a recorded offence category, police forces are asked to 'flag' domestic violence incidents as they are assessed on their pro-active response to domestic violence incidents through the Police Performance Assessment Framework (PPAF).
	(b) "No Secrets", jointly published by the Department of Health and the Home Office in 2000, provides a complete definition of abuse and a framework for councils to work with the police, the NHS and regulators to tackle and prevent abuse occurring. It was the product of a multi-agency steering group, led by the Department of Health, with the full co-operation of the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Directors of Social Services, the voluntary sector and academic bodies. The aim of No Secrets is to ensure that key local agencies, particularly but not solely health, social services and the police, are able to work together to protect vulnerable adults from abuse, by developing local multi-agency policies and procedures. No Secrets gives local councils the lead for development of adult protection committees. A copy is available in the Library.

Firearms

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made in each year since 1997 for possession of firearms; and how many gun-related incidents have been recorded in each of those years.

Hazel Blears: Available information on arrests for possession of firearms following searches of persons or vehicles under section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 can be found in table PA of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 21/05 "Arrests for Recorded Crime (Notifiable Offences) and the Operation of Certain Police Powers under PACE, England and Wales, 2004/05".
	Table 3.01 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Violent Crime Overview, Homicide and Gun Crime, 2004/05"shows the number of notifiable crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in which firearms (including air weapons) were reported to have been used.
	Both bulletins are available on the Home Office website www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html.

Manslaughter

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) minimum and (b) maximum sentence is for manslaughter; and what the sentencing guidelines are for that offence.

Fiona Mactaggart: The maximum sentence for manslaughter is life imprisonment; there is no minimum sentence.
	There are no statutory sentencing guidelines for the offence. However, the Sentencing Guidelines Council issued a guideline "Manslaughter by Reason of Provocation" on 28 November 2005, and there several Court of Appeal guidelines for the offence of manslaughter.

National Offender Management Service

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the National Offender Management Service to be fully operational.

Fiona Mactaggart: The NOMS five year strategy "Protecting the Public and Reducing Re-offending" sets out the timetable for change; copies of this are in the Library and the Vote Office. Chapter 6 details this timetable, the substantial progress which we expect to make and our longer term aims.

National Probation Directorate

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to give the National Probation Directorate the responsibility for appraising the proposals outlined in the discussion paper "Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-offending".

Fiona Mactaggart: Senior officials in the National Probation Directorate (NPD) were involved in the development of the proposals set out in the consultation paper "Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-offending". NPD is a directorate of NOMS, and the Director of NPD sits on the NOMS Board which has responsibility for overseeing the development of the proposals both prior to and following the consultation.

Parole

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted murderers released on parole in each of the last 15 years have subsequently committed murder.

Fiona Mactaggart: The data are not available in the form requested, but the following may be relevant.
	Data on reconvictions of life licensees were published in 1997 in "Life Licensees—reconvictions and recalls by the end of 1995: England and Wales" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/97).
	The report shows that of 1,691 life licensees first released between 1972 and 1994, 66 were reconvicted of a grave offence (including murder or manslaughter) by the end of 1995. 19 of the 66 related to life licensees who were reconvicted for homicide and who had an original conviction for homicide.

Police

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers have been introduced in (a) Wakefield, (b) Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and (c) West Yorkshire since the scheme began; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the community support officers on crime and antisocial behaviour.

Hazel Blears: West Yorkshire Police recruited its first police community support officers (PCSOs) in 2002–03. The table sets out the number of PCSOs in the West Yorkshire Police for each year since 31 March 2003. Information has only been collected at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level since June 2005. The deployment of PCSOs to the Wakefield Area BCU is an operational matter for the chief constable.
	"A National Evaluation of Community Support Officers" (Home Office Research Study 297) was published on 25 January. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library. PCSOs have been well received by the public. They are helping to restore respect in local communities by providing reassurance and tackling antisocial behaviour and low level crime.
	
		West Yorkshire police and Wakefield district division community support officer numbers
		
			 As at 31 March West Yorkshire police—total number of community support officers Wakefield district division—community support officers(24) 
		
		
			 2003 70 n/a 
			 2004 265 n/a 
			 2005 394 41 
			 2005(25) 433 n/a 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	(24) Community support officer BCU strength collected once a year and was collected and published for the first time for the period ending 30 June 2005.
	(25) September 2005.

Police

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was at current prices of policing per head of population in Cambridgeshire in (a) 1997–98, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06; and how much of this funding came from (i) council tax, (ii) police grant, (iii) national business rate, (iv) revenue support grant and (v) other funding sources in each year.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the following table.
	We do not distribute grant to police authorities purely on the basis of population. The police funding formula uses a range of socio-demographic data to reflect reasonably the relative needs of each authority. Grant allocations also take into account the relative resources of each authority. Grant allocations are stabilised by damping changes to limit year-on-year variations.
	
		Cost of policing per head of population in Cambridgeshire £
		
			  Per head of population (real terms) 
			  (i) Council tax (ii) Home Office Police Grant (iii) National non-domestic rates (iv) Revenue Support Grant (v) Other funding sources(26) 
		
		
			 1997–98 19.98 58.43 23.16 15.29 10.80 
			 2004–05 45.57 65.03 13.62 23.85 25.31 
			 2005–06 46.37 66.17 15.87 22.19 22.60 
		
	
	(26) Figures of 'other' income provided by Cambridgeshire police.
	Notes:
	1. Real terms at 2004–05 prices using GDP deflator at 23 December 2005.
	2. Other funding for 2004–05 and 2005–06 include Home Office specific grants.

Police

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in (a) Tamworth constituency, (b) the borough of Tamworth, (c) Trent Valley division and (d) Staffordshire in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The available information is provided in the table. Statistics by constituency and borough are not collected centrally.
	
		Police officer strength in Trent Valley and Staffordshire, (1997–2005) Full-time equivalent
		
			 As at 31 March Trent Valley(27) Staffordshire(28) 
		
		
			 1997 — 2,211 
			 1998 — 2,292 
			 1999 — 2,238 
			 2000 — 2,170 
			 2001 — 2,129 
			 2002 — 2,133 
			 2003 — 2,202 
			 2004 392.3 2,266 
			 2005 429.1 2,280 
		
	
	(27) All officers FTE including staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.
	(28) All officers FTE less staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave
	Note:
	NB force were unable to provide BCU figures in 2003

Police

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers have been introduced in (a) Tamworth constituency, (b) the borough of Tamworth, (c) Trent Valley division and (d) Staffordshire since the scheme began; and what assessment he has made of the impact of community support officers on crime and antisocial behaviour.

Hazel Blears: Information relating to (a) Tamworth constituency and (b) the borough of Tamworth are not collected centrally.
	Information relating to the number of full-time equivalent police community support officers (PCSOs) in each police force area have been collected by RDS since 2003. As at 31 March 2003 Staffordshire did not have any PCSOs. Seven PCSOs were introduced by 31 March 2004, this increased by 56 giving a total of 63 PCSOs as at 31 March 2005. This figure decreased to 62 as at 30 September 2005.
	Information on the number of PCSOs in basic command units (BCU) has only been collected since June 2005. The Trent Valley BCU had 15 PCSOs on 30 June 2005. Information is not collected on the number of PCSOs for either Tamworth constituency or borough. Deployment of PCSOs within Trent Valley division is an operational matter for the divisional commander and I am told that details of their deployment is set out in the Staffordshire police website.
	"A National Evaluation of Community Support Officers" (Home Office Research Study 297) was published on 25 January. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House and shows that PCSOs have been well received by the public. They are helping to restore respect in local communities by providing reassurance and tackling antisocial behaviour and low level crime.

Private Finance Initiative

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2005, Official Report, column 1672W, on Private Finance Initiative, 
	(1)  what the total value is of assets and liabilities for each of the listed private finance initiatives and public private partnerships that are recorded on the Government Balance Sheet;
	(2)  what proportion of assets and liabilities for each of the listed private finance initiatives and public private partnerships is recorded on the Government Balance Sheet.

Charles Clarke: pursuant to the reply, 30 June 2005, Official Report, c. 1672W
	On Private Finance Initiative, the table lists the total value of assets and liabilities for each of the listed private initiatives and public private partnerships that are recorded "on" the Government Balance Sheet. The audited figures appear in the Home Office 2004–05 Resource Accounts.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Commissioning body/project name Assets Liabilities 
		
		
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Cookham Wood (Medway) 21.1 4.9 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Hassockfield 10.8 5.9 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Rainsbrook (Onley) Expansion 16.7 5.0 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Oakhill Expansion 23.0 22.7 
			 STC HMP and YOI Ashfield/HMPS (Pucklechurch) 26.7 21.4 
			 Prison Service/HMP Altcourse 68.3 59.3 
			 Prison Service/HMP Ashford 53.0 46.6 
			 Prison Service/HMP Dovegate 62.3 56.4 
			 Prison Service/HMP Forest Bank 45.9 41.2 
			 Prison Service/HMP Lowdham Grange 25.6 19.6 
			 Prison Service/HMP Pare 46.9 32.2 
			 Prison Service/HMP Peterborough 70.0 64.4 
			 Prison Service/HMP Rye Hill 39.5 34.5 
		
	
	The balance sheet treatment of PFI/PPPs are determined by an independent auditor following United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, in accordance with Financial Reporting Standards issued by the independent Accounting Standards Board (ASB).

Sex Offenders

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were on the sex offenders register on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of those are on the register for life.

Paul Goggins: Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 requires all offenders who have received a conviction or caution for certain sexual offences to notify personal information to the police and, subsequently, to keep the police informed of: any changes to those details; any period of seven days spent at another address, and any intention to travel overseas for three days or more. The period of time that an offender must comply with these requirements (the "notification period") is calculated by reference to whether the offender received a caution or conviction for the offence and, if the latter, the disposal received. For example, any offender who receives 30 months or more imprisonment in respect of a relevant offence will become subject to the notification requirements for "an indefinite period"; i.e. the rest of his life.
	The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) annual reports include statistics on the number of offenders who are subject to the notification requirements. The 2004–05 reports state that on 31 March 2005 there were 28,994 registered sex offenders living in the community. Statistics are not held centrally for the number of such offenders who are required to comply with the notification requirements indefinitely.

Sex Offenders

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are on the Sex Offenders Register; and how many of those are on for life.

Paul Goggins: Part two of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 requires all offenders who have received a conviction or caution for certain sexual offences to notify personal information to the police and, subsequently, to keep the police informed of: any changes to those details; any period of seven days spent at another address; and any intention to travel overseas for three days or more. The period of time that an offender must comply with these requirements (the "notification period") is calculated by reference to whether the offender received a caution or conviction for the offence and, if the latter, the disposal received. For example, any offender who receives 30 months or more imprisonment in respect of a relevant offence will become subject to the notification requirements for "an indefinite period", i.e. the rest of his life.
	The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) annual reports include statistics on the number of offenders who are subject to the notification requirements. The 2004–05 reports state that on 31 March 2005 there were 28,994 registered sex offenders living in the community. Statistics are not held centrally for the number of such offenders who are required to comply with the notification requirements indefinitely.

Special Constables

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department has allocated to the special constables scheme in each year it has been running in (a) the Trent Valley Division, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: Funding is being made available to forces to help them develop their capacity to recruit, retain and manage their special constables. Grant payments are awarded at force, rather than basic command unit, level and details of the first two years of the funding scheme are shown as follows. Allocations for 2006–07 are currently being considered.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Staffordshire England and Wales 
		
		
			 2004 39,817 2,044,054 
			 2005 29,757 2,473,009

Voluntary Sector Regulation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Kettering from the Minister for the Cabinet Office, of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 535W, when he will respond to the Better Regulation Task Force report on regulating the voluntary sector.

Paul Goggins: The Government welcomes the Better Regulation Task Force report "Better Regulation for Civil Society", recognises its potential for bringing genuine benefits to voluntary and community organisations, and will respond shortly.

Women Police Constables

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  which police forces in England and Wales refer to women police constables as WPCs;
	(2)  what criteria are used in deciding whether women police constables are called WPCs or PCs; who makes the decision; what changes there have been in policy on the issue in the last five years; whether it is normal practice to consult affected personnel; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is as follows:
	(1) The title "WPC" is not used in any police force in England and Wales.
	(2) Police forces in England and Wales do not differentiate between male and female officers when using rank or role identification. Although there is no explicit policy on the use of the term "WPC", police forces increasingly discontinued its use over a number of years. The British Association for Women in Policing and Police Federation have been influential in highlighting barriers facing women in the service and seeking to remove these. The removal of unnecessary gender labels supports deployment based on skills and experience rather than gender.
	All police roles are open to both women and men. Gender is relevant when it comes to searching individuals; otherwise, it is an officer's skill, ability, knowledge and experience which are relevant.